How to remove sticker residue from books?

akirafist

• #1

My local Half Price Books had a 20% sale on their titles, so I purchased a ton of great tarot books. Unfortunately they put a monstrous sticker on the back, and the previous owner tried to peel it off. Now there's a nasty stick residue all over the back when I try to hold it while reading.

What can take this off safely, without damaging these (otherwise) wonderful condition books?

thanks!

 

Greg Stanton

• #2

Goo Gone, available at most supermarkets.

 

AJ

• #3

the used bookstore I love has a can of butane (lighter fluid) they use to clean books before they put them up on the shelf. Don't smoke while using it but it works great. Squirt a little on a rag, cleans everything off.

To get a sticky sticker off in the first place put a little heat to it with a blowdryer.

 

FatesLady

• #4

Rubbing alcohol on a cloth can work as well. Good luck.

 

Hedera

• #5

When all else fails, oil (any kind of cooking oil) rubbed on the gluey spot and left to soak for a bit usually removes difficult sticker residues (and is less damaging to some covers than lighter fluid can be).

 

KafkasGhost

• #6

Nose grease works pretty well. I'm serious. The sides of our noses produces sebum, which is a very lightweight oil. Works every time in a pinch. You can thank my father-out-law [father of my ex-husband] for that.

 

Sinduction

• #7

It depends on the part of the book. For instance, paperbacks have that plastic coating while hard covers can either have a dust jacket or not.

If the coating is plasticy, as opposed to flat out paper, I use goo gone. I found it at the Dollar Tree for, yep, one dollar. Squirt a few drops on a soft cloth and rub the sticky off. If on paper, I use the blow dryer idea that was already posted. I've not used butane or alcohol on books but I have used them on household items with good results. When in doubt, I try the blow dryer first, before I chance wrecking my book.

 

thorhammer

• #8

Also - nail polish remover, gin (yes, really, and vodka prolly does as well) and tea tree oil, though I have a feeling that that's as endemic to Australia is Goo Gone is to the US.

\m/ Kat

 

kittiann

• #9

Tea tree oil is around in the US if you're willing to look for it - oddly enough, a lot of body piercing and tattoo places will have it.

 

Sinduction

• #10

Goo Gone is just orange oil. You could also use any kind of furniture polish that has orange oil in it.